Farmer Rory’s ready for a ‘leap of faith’ to help others

A Minting based farmer will throw himself off the top of a Welsh quarry in two months’ time in a daring leap of faith for charity.

Beef farmer Rory Whittaker, who runs a 70-acre site, branched out on his own four years ago.

He is determined to give something back to the Lincolnshire farming community that helped him set up.

Rory, 27, is leaping from the quarry on a 100mph zip wire ride of a lifetime to raise money for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI),

The organisation is a grant-making charity which helps farming people of all ages in financial difficulty.

Rory is making his daring leap of faith on May 10 from the longest zip line in Europe, Velocity, in Penrhyn Quarry at Bethesda near Bangor.

He said: “I’m not sure I’m brave, I just agree to stuff easily.

“The Lincolnshire farming community has seen how hard I have been trying and has given me lots of help and advice, for which I am extremely grateful.

“I just want to give something back.

“I have seen instances of how farming families cannot cope with problems within the industry.“

Milly Wastie, R.A.B.I Regional Manager for the East Midlands, hopes Rory’s efforts will inspire more people to get involved with raising money for struggling farmers in Lincolnshire as the demand for help currently outstrips supply.

In 2014, R.A.B.I fundraisers in the district brought in around £23k, but the charity paid out £64k to individuals and families in the same area.

Milly said: “There is a perception that Lincolnshire farmers don’t need our support, which isn’t the case. Fundraising is really hard work and I know Rory wants other Lincolnshire farmers to get on the bandwagon too.”

Rory has set up a Just Giving page at https:www.justgiving.com/Rory-Whittaker/?